1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pattern forming method and a pattern forming apparatus using a liquid droplet injecting method, and more particularly to a pattern forming method and a pattern forming apparatus by intermediate transfer recording system characterized by recording a pattern on an intermediate transfer body surface, and transferring the pattern on a transfer object and forming the pattern.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus of ink jet recording process had various problems, such as a problem of change of printed state depending on difference in recording medium (for example, difference in permeation of ink), and a problem of disturbance of image in undried portion of ink image when using a recording medium not allowing the ink to permeate, when discharging the recording medium or when inverting the sides in two-side printing.
In image forming by ink jet, ink is directly injected onto the recording medium depending on an image signal, and characters or an image is formed. Recently, owing to enhancement in image forming speed, an FWA (Full Width Array) recording apparatus, having nozzles disposed in the overall width of recording medium to be conveyed, is needed. In such a FWA type of recording device, the time required for discharging the recording medium on which characters, images or the like have been formed becomes shorter, and the time taken for drying ink permeated into the recording medium becomes shorter, when compared to conventional scanning type recording devices.
Deterioration of images may be generated when, just after printing, the surface is rubbed or is pressed by rollers as ink on the printed surface has not been sufficiently fixed. Especially when undertaking double sided recording, productivity decreases because a certain period of drying time is required in order that the above deterioration in images does not occur.
In order to promote evaporation of solvents contained in inks on impermeable papers, in particular, if a drying unit such as heater is installed in the apparatus, a large amount of energy is needed for drying, and the size of an apparatus becomes big.
In inks containing pigment, water-soluble polymers may be added to the ink in order to improve dispersion of pigment and increase the fixing strength. In particular for fixing pigments on impermeable papers, if it is desired to have enough image fastness such as rubbing resistance, more water-soluble polymers must be added. However, if the addition amount of water-soluble polymers is increased, injection may be unstable or may not be possible due to ink thickening or solidifying in the nozzles.
A method is proposed to form a liquid receptive particle layer on an intermediate transfer body, form a pattern on the surface of the liquid receptive particle layer by a liquid droplet injecting device, and transfer the patter on a recording medium.
In such configuration, regardless of difference in recording medium, it is free from oozing or image disturbance on nonpermeable paper due to undried liquid droplets, excellent in pattern fastness, and enables high speed recording.
However, the liquid receptive particle layer is formed on the intermediate transfer body uniformly in an area not forming pattern or in an area not transferring on the transfer object. As a result, many liquid receptive particles are wasted.